i know that i need braces but i am scared and embarrassed.

Message

#1 Post by **julieo** » Tue Aug 31, 2010 9:51 pm

everyday, i wish that had the courage to make the call and get the braces put on my teeth. i am scared, ashamed and embarrassed. i wish i could pull the trigger before bed and just wake up with the braces on so that i couldn't chicken out

#2 Post by **Lingualita** » Wed Sep 01, 2010 1:24 am

I know exactly how you feel! I felt this for many years. I ended out opting for linguals, then they are behind your teeth, so not everyone needs to know that you have braces. This made it so much easier to go through soth it for me. Perhaps you can investigate if that's an option for you.

Best of luck!

#3 Post by **hal2me** » Wed Sep 01, 2010 5:36 am

When you are ready to make that call, you will. It took me two years to get up the courage to ask my dentist to refer me to an orthodontist. One day you'll just make that call. Trust me, it will be one of the best calls you will ever make. Best of luck to you! Please keep us posted!

#4 Post by **julieo** » Wed Sep 01, 2010 6:02 am

i have thought about going to behind the teeth route but, i am worried about it affecting my speech. has that been an issue for anyone?

#5 Post by **blackapple** » Wed Sep 01, 2010 6:17 am

Hopefully you will get the courage to do so. You may be surprised to know that folks out in the real world either won't notice you have braces and or don't care that you have them. Found when I got mine folks didn't even know I had them. I had to point them out to folks as my speech was slightly affected. Speech is fine by the way as my mouth has adjusted pretty quickly to all the hardware. Don't have linguals but ceramic braces on uppers and silver on the bottom. My bottom teeth are so small in the front lower that you can barely even see I have braces. The ceramics have made things blend in so well that you can hardly tell in photos I have braces.

#6 Post by **dredgos** » Wed Sep 01, 2010 11:09 am

I was of a similar mindset to you before i got my braces. I was due to have them as a youngster (15) but i never got them due to changing dentists and a few other issues. Now i am 24 and i have decided to take the plunge, but it took me about 6 months to call and ask because i was apprehensive of what people would think.

I had my braces fitted in may, both upper and lower metals and i can honestly say that nobody has been negative about it - infact most people who i talk to about it actually say well done for doing it. I have not had any speech issues, my biggest problem is flossing with all this stuff in my mouth!

I know it seems so much easier to say "go on, call them" than it is to actually do it, but so far i would say i definately made the right choice to take the plunge!

#7 Post by **itsabouttime22** » Thu Sep 02, 2010 3:09 pm

I think we all feel that way. It was so weird for me- I always hated my teeth but like you was too embarrassed to get braces, even though I thought about it. Then one day at my cleaning my dentist asked if I ever thought about braces, I said yes and that I would like a consult, and then sent me right over to talk to the ortho on staff! And the rest is history.

When I first got them on, I was so self consious to talk to family, friends, store workers, you name it. But after a few weeks I didn't think about it as much, as is true with most brace wearers. It was just such a relief not agonizing about whether or not to get them, and now that I have them I am glad I went through with it.

As a few people already mentioned, people DO NOT notice or care about your braces. When I went back to work after summer vacation, I had multiple conversations with co-workers and they were shocked to find out I had braces the whole time.

Good luck with your decision

#8 Post by **loradora** » Thu Sep 02, 2010 4:57 pm

Schedule a consult with an orthodontist and discuss your apprehension with them. Better to do it sooner than later.

#9 Post by **julieo** » Thu Sep 02, 2010 8:29 pm

thx all. going to make the call to the orthodontist tomorrow. wish me luck!

#10 Post by **bracedup** » Fri Sep 03, 2010 4:41 am

Good luck Julio we are all here with you

#11 Post by **julieo** » Fri Sep 03, 2010 6:31 am

so, i filled out the "contact us" portion of the orthodontists website. left my phone number. the site said someone from the office will call to set up an appt. i'm on pins and needles now

#12 Post by **evilnel** » Fri Sep 03, 2010 9:53 am

I'm 24 and got braces last year. It took me a long time to work up the courage, too, but if I had known how easy it would be I would have done it a long time ago! Think of it this way: would you rather be ashamed of your crooked teeth forever or your braces temporarily? I assure you, most people don't care, or if they even notice they just sympathize. I recently moved to a new city and started at a new graduate school and if anybody even says anything it's in response to me grimacing after biting something hard and then they're just like 'oh man, I remember that! It sucks when things suddenly start hurting or shifting!' I had this conversation yesterday after biting into a cooking on a sore tooth. Most adults have been there at some point, and if they haven't the might wish they had. People are way less concerned with your mouth than you are. Most of my friends said they never even noticed my teeth were crooked until I pointed it out!

#13 Post by **evilnel** » Fri Sep 03, 2010 9:55 am

A cookie, not cooking!

We really need an edit button!

#14 Post by **blackapple** » Sat Sep 04, 2010 1:45 am

julieo wrote:so, i filled out the "contact us" portion of the orthodontists website. left my phone number. the site said someone from the office will call to set up an appt. i'm on pins and needles now

Don't worry you will be fine. I was apprehensive about the whole process. Went for a consult in March of this year. It wasn't until August that I went through with getting the braces on. Enjoy your days of being brace free before you go through with getting them. It is an adjustment period in terms of getting used to the hardware in your mouth.

#15 Post by **AndrewM** » Sun Sep 05, 2010 6:52 am

I'm really curious to hear how everything turns out. Please keep us updated. I can relate;I've agonized over the decision myself (and still haven't seen anyone). In my case, I've always been embarrassed to let my teeth show, but I'm not sure whether I really "need" braces in absolute terms (my bite isn't horribly misaligned and while my top teeth are somewhat irregularly spaced, I suspect they're really not that bad compared to many people's). Anyway, I'm uncomfortable with the notion that treatment may be unnecessary, frivolous, vain, etc., and I envision an orthodontist laughing me out of his/her office...

Metal Mouth Message Board